Australia records high stress levels as employee sadness grows at work

Australians are among the most stressed employees globally, with growing numbers reporting daily feelings of sadness, anger and emotional exhaustion, according to a major new international study.

The latest Gallup State of the Global Workplace 2026 report, based on data from more than 140 countries, highlights a concerning picture of working life in Australia, pointing to rising stress levels and declining employee engagement.

The findings show that around half of Australian workers experience daily stress, placing the country alongside some of the most stressed workforces in the world, including the United States and Canada. The report also found that 21 per cent of employees reported feeling sadness the previous day, while 15 per cent experienced anger and 14 per cent felt lonely.

Gallup noted that globally, levels of stress, anger and sadness remain higher than pre-pandemic levels, suggesting that the emotional impact of COVID-19 has either lingered or become the new normal in workplaces worldwide.

In Australia, the trend has been steadily worsening over time. Daily sadness has almost doubled from 12 per cent in 2010 to 21 per cent in 2025, while stress has increased from 34 per cent to 50 per cent over the same period. Anger has slightly risen from 14 per cent to 15 per cent, and loneliness now affects 14 per cent of workers.

At the same time, employee engagement has dropped to a record low, with just 21 per cent of Australian workers feeling engaged in their jobs. Meanwhile, 66 per cent are not engaged, and 13 per cent are actively disengaged, signalling growing dissatisfaction in the workforce.

Brand Rebellion partner David Campbell said the data reflects a workforce under significant pressure rather than simple burnout.

He explained that modern work is becoming increasingly cognitively demanding, while personal lives remain constantly connected and “always on”.

Although artificial intelligence is reducing repetitive tasks, it is also increasing the amount of high-focus, mentally intensive work employees must handle, leaving little time to mentally switch off.

According to Campbell, Australians have been operating at a sustained high pace for years without sufficient recovery time, as rising workloads and productivity expectations continue to reshape the nature of work.

He added that this shift is not only affecting how employees feel, but also how work itself is experienced, with fewer low-pressure tasks and more continuous mental effort throughout the day.

Campbell described the situation as a “work design issue”, arguing that wellbeing initiatives alone are not enough if workloads remain excessive and recovery time is limited.

The report also highlights a broader global trend, showing that declining manager engagement has been a major driver of falling overall engagement levels, with managerial engagement dropping significantly since 2022.

Gallup emphasised that managers play a crucial role not only in engagement but also in shaping employee wellbeing and supporting the adoption of new technologies such as AI.

Campbell said middle managers are becoming a key pressure point within organisations, as they are often the first to notice early signs of burnout, such as reduced energy, declining performance and disengagement.

Clinical psychologist Amanda Gordon, however, urged caution in interpreting the findings too directly, noting that workplace emotions may also reflect broader social and personal pressures rather than being caused solely by work itself.

She suggested that many people struggle to separate work and personal life, especially in the post-pandemic environment where boundaries between the two have become increasingly blurred.

Gordon also pointed to wider societal factors, including financial stress, cost-of-living pressures and global uncertainty, which may be contributing to heightened emotional strain.

Despite the rise in negative emotions, the report found a paradox in wellbeing. While many workers experience daily stress, 55 per cent of Australian employees still describe themselves as “thriving” in life overall, compared with 34 per cent globally.

At the same time, 42 per cent are classified as “struggling” and 3 per cent as “suffering”, highlighting the complexity of how Australians experience work and life.

The findings are based on Gallup’s global survey of around 1,000 respondents per country, conducted throughout 2025 using nationally representative samples.